Electrically-operated hydraulic valve.



No. 793,429. PATENTED JUNE 27, 1905. C. ENGBERG. ELEGTRIGALLY OPERATEDHYDRAULIC VALVE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. z3. 1904.

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PATENTED JUNE 27, 1905.

0. BNGBBRG. ELBGTRIGALLY OPERATED HYDRAULIC VALVE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 23, 1904.

NTTED STATES Patented June 27, 1905.

PATENT Fries.

CARL ENGBERG, OF ST. JOSEPH, MICHIGAN. ASSIGNOR TO AENGrBERGr ELECTRICAND MECHANICAL WORKS, OF ST. JOSEPH, MICHIGAN.

ELECTRlCALLY-OPERATED HYDRAULIC VALVE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 793,429, dated June 27,1905.

Application filed February 23, 1904. Serial No. 194,702.

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Be it known that I, CARL ENGBERG, a citi- Zen of the United States, anda resident of St. Joseph, in the county of Berrien and State ofMichigan, have invented a new and Improved Electrically -OperatedHydraulic Valve, of which the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription.

My invention relates to valves, my more particular object being toenable large and unwieldy valve-gates to be readily controlled,

s especially from a distance, and to apprise the operator of thecondition of the valve.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part ofthis specifi-` cation, in which similar characters of reference indicatecorresponding parts in all the Iigures.

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a main valve equipped with myinvention. Fig. 2is a side elevation of the same, showing T-casing andcertain other parts of the main valve in section on the line 2 2 in Fig.1 looking in the direction of the arrow. Fig. 3 is a front view of thecontrolling mechanism for the valve, being a section upon the line 3 3in Fig. 5 looking in the direction of the arrow. Fig. I is a fragmentaryvertical section through a portion of the valve-gate. Fig. 5 is acentral vertical section upon the line 5 5 in Fig. 3looking in thedirection of the arrows. Fig. 6 is a central vertical section upon theline66 in Fig. 5 looking in the direction of the arrows, and Fig. 7 is afragmentary section upon the line 7 7 in Fig. 5 looking in the directionof the arrow.

The casing of the main valve is shown at 3,6 the bonnet at 9, thehydraulic cylinder at 10, containing a piston 10a, pipes connectedthereto for operating the same at 11 12, and asupply-pipe at 13,provided with a hand-valve 14 and leading to the controlling apparatus15 from the bonnet 9, which is hollow and under water pressure, ashereinafter described. The pipes 11 12 are rigidly connected with a T16, (see Figs. 5, 6, and 7,) provided with a discharge-outlet 17 at itslower end, as shown. The discharge-pipe 17 is provided with a passage17, contracted atI the point 17 b, as indicated more particularly inFig. 6. TheT 16 is provided with passages 11 12, into which are fittedthe pipes 11 12. Communicating with the passage 17u is apassage 18,connected with a compartment 19 within a box 20, as indicated in Figs.5, 6, and 7. The compartment 19 is opened and closed by valves 21 22,these valves being mounted upon the respective stems 23 24C, whichextend downwardly through the bottom of the box 20, as indicated inFigs. 5 and 7. The valves 21 22 are seated upon the web 25, which formsthe bottom of a box 26, provided with separate compartments 27 23, andfrom these compartments 27 23 short passages 29 30 lead directly intothe cylinder 30, as shown in Figs. 6 and 7. The cylinder 30 is closed byheads 31" and is water-tight. (See Fig. 6.)

Disposed above the box 26 is a dome 32, provided with a compartment 33,into which passes a rocking shaft 34, mounted upon the casing 32. Rigidly connected with this rocking shaft is an arm 35, provided with a head36 of the shape indicated in Fig. 7. A piston 38 is provided with anannular channel 37, encircling the middle thereof, thus giving thepiston a shape approximating that of a dumb-bell. The head 36 looselyengages the channel 37, as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 6 and byfull lines in Fig. 7. Any sliding movement of the piston 38 communicatesan angular or rocking movement to the arm and shaft 34. rI`he portion 39of the piston encircled by the annular channel 37 is cylindrical, asindicated in Fig. 5. The piston is perforated by a small verticalpassage 40 and by a small horizontal passage 41, these passagespreferably communicating With each other. The purpose of these passagesis to equalize trivial pressures upon diiferent'parts of the piston, sothat no part of the mechanism will be subjected to strain or liable toaccidental movement, and the piston will only move when a considerablepressure is thrown upon one of its ends. A slide-valve of the so-calledD pattern is shown at 12 and is provided with a port 43. This valveslides within a space 4A and is engaged by the pisz `net 55 at will.

from which depends an arm 65.

I0 arm is a contact-spring 48, which may be pressed into engagement witha binding-post 49 when the arm 46 is rocked into one of its extremepositions. A wire 50 is connected with the binding-post 49 and leads offto the I 5 operators station, being there connected with an alarm forthe purpose of apprising the operator of the closing of the contact.

An eleetromagnet 55 is mounted in a casing 53 and is connected with abinding-post 56 by 2O means-of a wire 571, as shown in Fig. 5, thisbinding-post being in turn connected with a wire 59. The purpose of themagnet 55 and of the electrical connections therefor is to enable thedistant operator to energize the mag- The armature of the magnet isshown at 61 and is mounted upon a hinge 62, connected with a pivot 63,being thereby free to swing. The outer end of the armature is providedwith a pivotal screw 64,

This arm is provided with an enlarged portion 66, having a centralaperture 67. The lower end of the arm 65 is provided with separateprongs 68 69, which have lugs 71 72, projected at a right angletherefrom, as indicated in Figs.

3 and 5. A leaf-spring 73 is connected with arm 46 and loosely engages abearing 70, this bearing being-integral with the arm 65.

' The main-valve gate is shown at 74 and is controlled by means of avertically-movable stem 75 in the usual manner. A tube 76 .passesdirectly through the main-valve gate 74, as indicated in Fig. 4. Thistube is provided with a small longitudinal passage 77 and is mutilatedso asto form a cage 78, provided with perforations A79. A loose ball 80is mounted within this cage and is free to lclose either end of thepassage 77, as indicated in Fig. 4, according to the direction of 50 thewater-pressure exerted upon the mainvalve gate. l

The operation of my device is as follows: VSuppose thatthe main-valvegate is closed and that, as usual, the water pressure is greater uponone side of the main gate 74 than upon the other side. The tendency ofthe water to escape through the passage 77 moves the ball 80 andobstructs this passage as indicated in Fig. 4. The water escapes throughthe perforation 79 into the bonnet 9 and thence (the hand-valve 14 beingopen) through the pipe 13 and into the passage-way .132 The liquid findsits way through the lpassages 40 and 41 of the piston, but is un- 6 5able to escape through the passages 29 30 into the compartments 27 28for the reason that the valves 21 and 22 are closed, as indicated inFig. 7. In other Words, the water being unable to get out is unable tomove the piston 38, and should there be a slight initial difference inpressure upon different parts of the piston the same is equalized by thesmall passages 40 and 41. Suppose, now, that the operator desires toopen the main valve. He knows that when the valve is closed the armoccupies the position indicated in Fig. 3 and that the lug 71 isdirectly beneath the valve-stem 23. He then energizes the electromagnet55, causing it to raise the armature 61. The arm 65 is thus raisedbodily upward and the lug 71 lifts the valve-stem 23, opening the valve21. This opening of the valve allows the escape of water from thecompartment 27 into the compartment 19 and thence through the passage orvent 18 and the passage 17 to the ground. This allows the water toescape freely for an instant through the passage 29 and out of thecylinder 30", whereas the water in the passage 30, being under pressureand having no escape, drives` vrthe piston 38 to the opposite end of thecylinderthat is to say, to the end indicated at the right of Fig. 6.This movement of the piston 38 also moves the slide-valve 42 to theleft, breaking the connection betweenthe port 12" and the passage 12aand making connection with the port 11" and the passage 11". This causeswater to flow through the pipe 11, passage 11", port 11", and port 43 tothe passage 17". This allows the escape of the water from the upperportion of the cylinder 10 and leaves the piston 10L free to movevertically upward in the cylinder 10, thereby opening the main-valvegate. The same motion allows water to pass directly from the space44,through the port 43, the port 12", and the passage 12", kto the pipe 12,and thence to the lower end of the cylinder 10, thereby forcing thepiston therein upward and opening the main-valve gate. The movement ofthe piston just described, incidental to the opening of the main-valvegate, causes the arm 35 to rock slightly in a contra-clockwisedirection, as indicated in Fig. 3, forcing the spring 73 to the extremeright, and thus bringing the lug 72 under the stem 24. This rockingmovement of the arm 35 also causes .the contact-spring 48 to engage thebindingpost 49, these members 48 49 constituting a contact to beconnected with a distant alarm for apprising the operator that the mainvalve is open. To close the main valve, the

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operator energizes the magnet 55, thereby causing the armature 61 torise again and lift the arm 65. The lug 72 thereupon raises the pistonshown to the right of Fig. 6. The water-pressure exerted upon thelleft-hand end of the piston, as seen in Fig. 6, forces the piston tothe right, as shown in this ligure, thereby causing the arm 46 to assumethe'position indicated in'Fig. 3, the spring 73 thereupon causing thearm 65 to move into the position indicated also in Fig. 3, so that thelug 71 is now ready to lift the stem 23 and allow the valve to beopened.

As the spring-contact 48 only engages the binding-post49, also servingas a contact member when the main-valve gate is raised so that the valveis open, the operator always has knowledge as to the general conditionof the main valve, whether opened or closed. It will K be seen,therefore, that the mechanism above described operates the same way, nomatter whether the water be flowing through the main valve in the onedirection or the other. If the water flows through the T 16 in theopposite direction, the ball 8O (shown in Fig. 4) merely shifts to theright instead of to the left, as seen in that iigu re, thewater-pressure being at all times exerted through the bonnet 74 and thepipe 13. By this arrangement only a single pipe 13 is needed forsupplying the valve-operating mechanism with water, no matter what maybe the general course of the water flowing through the main valve or howoften the direction of liow may be reversed through extrinsic causes.

I do not limit myself tothe particular construction of the magnet shown,as any other magnetic member may be employed. Neither do l limit myselfin all instances to the use of a magnetic member. The several mechanicaldetails may be changed considerably without departing from the spirit ofmy invention.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent- 1. ln an apparatus of the character described, thecombination of a main valve provided with a valve-gate and with abonnet, hyd raulicmechanism for opening and closing said valve-gate,means 'for admitting water under pressure into said bonnet, and aconnection between said bonnet and said hydraulic mechanism for thepurpose of actuating said hydraulic mechanism by water from said bonnet.

2. VIn an apparatus of the character described, the combination of amain valve provided with a valve-gate and with a bonnet, hydraulicmechanism connected with said bonnet and actuated by water-pressuretherefrom, and mechanism controllable automatically by pressure of thewater, for maintaining said bonnet always under pressure regardless ofthe general direction of How of the water through said main valve.

3. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination of a mainvalve provided with a gate, said gate being provided. with a passageextending through the same, a

valve connected with said passage and actuated by pressure of the watertherethrough, for the purpose of causing said water to exert a pressurewithin said bonnet, and hydraulic mechanism connected directly with saidbonnet and actuated by water-pressure therefrom.

4. In valve mechanism for hydraulic apparatus, the combination of amotor-piston, a motor-cylinder therefor, passages in communication withopposite ends of said cylinder, valves for controlling said passages, anactuator for said valves, an operating-lever for the actuator connectedwith the motor-piston for movement therewith, a spring connectionbetween the said operating-lever and the actuator to effect a movementof the same in opposite directions, and means for moving the saidactuator longitudinally, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

5. 1n valve mechanism for hydraulic apparatus, the combination of amotor-piston, a motor-cylinder, valve-controlled passages in connectionwith opposite ends of said motorcylinder, an actuator forked at one endand having lateral extensions for actuation of the valves controllingcommunication through the aforesaid passages, an operating-lever for theactuator connected with the motor-piston for movement therewith, aspring connection bctween the operating-lever and the actuator, andmeans for electrically operating said actuator, substantially as and forthe purpose specified.

6. The combination of a piston, a main Valve actuated thereby, slidingvalve mechanism for controlling said main valve, said sliding valvemechanism being provided with an exhaustpassage, a pair of separatevalves for controlling said exhaust-passage so as to govern said slidingvalve mechanism, a movable member for alining with one or the other ofsaid lastmentioned valves, and electrical mechanism controllable at willfrom a distance for moving said member when the same is in alinemcntwith one of said last-mentioned valves.

7. The combination of a cylinder, a piston fitting the same, slidingvalve mechanism connected with said cylinder and controlling saidpiston, said sliding valve mechanism having an exhaust-passage, aplurality of separate valves for controlling said exhaust-passage andgoverning said sliding valve mechanism, a swinging arm actuated by saidsliding valve mechanism and provided with portions adapted to aline withsaid last-mentioned valves one at a time, mechanism electricallyoperated from a distance for lifting said arm bodily so as to actuateone or the other of said last-mentioned valves, and a contact closed bymovements of said arm for energizing an alarmcircuit when said armassumes a certain predetermined position.

8. The combination of a cylinder, a piston fitting the same, slidingvalve mechanism connected with said cylinder for controlling' said IOOIIO

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piston, said sliding valve mechanism having an exhaust-passage, aplurality of separate valves for controlling' said exhaust-passage andthereby controlling said slidingfvalve mechanism, a swinging armactuated loy said sliding valve mechanism and provided withy portionsadapted t0 aline With said last-mentioned valves one at a time, anarmature connected with said swinging arm for moving the same whenattracted so as to actuate the valve in `alinement therewith, and anelectromagnet disposed adjacent to said armature and .p ecntrollable atwill from a distance for attracting said armature.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this speciication in thepresence of two subscrihing witnesses.

CARL ENGBERG.

Witnesses:

IVA NIECE, LAWRENCE C. FYFE.

